Over Le460 Million Waterloo Water Supply Projectparliament Summons Water Minister

Members of Parliament last week summoned the Minister of Water Resources to provide update on the performance of contractors – Bullom Construction Company – awarded with a Le460,000,000 contract to provide pipe-borne water supply to Waterloo in the Western Rural District.

The summon came after Majority Chief Whip of Parliament, Hon. Claude D.M. Kamanda, who represents the area, queried the pace at which work was being done on the water project, apparently following complaints by his constituents.

Speaking in the Well of Parliament, Water Resources Minister Momodu Maligie said the project started in January 2014 but was stalled after the Ebola outbreak in the country last May, although 50% of the project has been completed.

He highlighted as one of the project challenges delay in the disbursement of funds by the Ministry of Finance and 10% monitoring and evaluation fees requested by the Waterloo Rural District Council, which according to him was not part of the contract agreement.

He also blamed the stalling of the project on the fact that the community was an Ebola hotspot late last year, and promised lawmakers the project would get back on track after the Ebola.

According to chairman of the Water Resources Committee, Hon. Sualiho M. Koroma of Constituency 67 in Bo district, the issue should be addressed at committee level to enable members probe the contractors, Waterloo District Council and community stakeholders.